Misery Business
by CLOUDxTIFAforever
Summary: He's faced the greatest of dangers, fought and won battles in the face of impossible odds...but this battle, this fight is different, because winning Tifa back will be even harder than defeating that demonic one-winged angel. CHAPTERS HAVE BEEN REVISED!
1. Misery Business

"_I'm in the business of misery, let's take it from the top. She's got a body like an hourglass that's ticking like a clock. It's a matter of time before we all run out, when I thought he was mine she caught him by the mouth. I waited eight long months, she finally set him free, I told him I couldn't lie, he was the only one for me. Two weeks and we caught on fire, she's got it out for me, but I wear the biggest smile." - Misery Business, from RIOT!_

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_Hello, and welcome to Misery Business, formerly titled Throwing Punches. If you love Paramore this is definitely the story for you, because that's what its based off of: Paramore songs. While the story will mainly follow the opening lines of Misery Business (written above), every chapter will be titled, and based off of, a different song. Everything will hopefully start to make sense as the story progresses._

_**Author's Note:**First off, I'm sorry for the title change. But I have no idea why I even titled this story "Throwing Punches" in the first place, Misery Business is a much better choice, and for those of you who have already been following this story, it matches the plotline almost perfectly. But, instead of two girls fighting over one guy (like in the song) it's two guys fighting over one girl. Secondly, a lot more changes have been made besides the title, I revised this chapter completely and added the prologue, which was its own chapter in the first version. Thirdly, this whole story is under revision, I got too excited when I first posted it and much of the writing was rushed, and therefore produced sloppy grammar and plot._

**_Warning:_**_This chapter contains mild violence and one obscenity, just figured I'd tell you._

**_Disclaimer:_**_ I do not own Final Fantasy VII or any of the songs used in this story._

**_Dedication:_**_The dedication of this story goes to Paramore. I know it seems a little pointless and silly to dedicate it to people who will never read it, but they as a band and their music has gotten me through some of the hardest times in my life when I thought I had no where to turn for comfort, the music was always there. They are my main source of inspiration, for this story and the many others I have published and they are by far my favorite band. So, thank-you Paramore, this one's for you._

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_**The Prologue To Misery…**_

_Two months…it had been two months since I had been cured of my Geostigma, two months since I had been relieved of my consuming guilt that I had decided to tell her how I felt. I had wanted to tell her that first day, that first minute that I had felt free, but it would have been wrong to do that. Because, despite my newfound freedom, I was still a broken man, a broken man with a horrible past, a past that I could never escape from. I didn't want to burden her with that, even though, to an extent, she shares that past with me._

_There are parts of that past she doesn't know about, that she wouldn't understand, and maybe would never understand, but I know that deep down I want to tell her, I want her to understand…and I know that she would want me to let her in. It took me another month to discover that hidden truth…but I was too late, because the night I had decided to tell her, the night I had decided to confess everything to her…she had met him._

_It had been one of those more turbulent nights in the bar, the kind where the whole of Edge seemed to be filing in through the front door, so I was helping Tifa with the overload of customers. Thankfully, things had finally calmed down around midnight, and Tifa and I had retreated behind the counter, washing the night's dishes in comfortable silence, preparing to close in a few hours time._

_I was thinking of telling her then, but nervousness and fear griped at me, refusing to let go. I was never good with words, what if I said something wrong, said something to upset her? But…it would be worse to say nothing at all._

_That's when he walked in, his entrance announced by the ringing of a small bell above the door. He was a taller man, with hard features and long, black hair pulled back in a neat plait. He was well dressed, more than likely from the classier side of Edge and walked toward Tifa and I with long and confident strides, a dashing smile flashing across his face as his eyes met Tifa's._

_She had returned his smile weakly, and I could tell by the look in her eyes that she was tired. But she motioned for him to sit down a few seats from us anyway, and when she finished washing one last glass, she walked over to serve him._

_I had watched her walk away, watched the way her hips swayed with every tired footfall, the way she smiled when she greeted him…_

_That was six months ago. _

_At the time, I had thought he was just another normal customer, that it was just another normal night in Seventh Heaven. Little did I know that this seemingly normal guy was about to change my life forever…little did I know that he was about to take away from me the thing I held most dear._

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_**Chapter 1: Misery Business**_

"Cloud, can you zip me up?" asks Tifa hurriedly as she exits the bathroom and runs over to me, her toothbrush clenched in between her back teeth.

I oblige her wordlessly as she turns her back to me, and lifts her dark raven hair away from the ivory skin of her back. I fumble slightly with the pull of the zipper, my hand grazing lightly against her exposed skin, causing white hot feelings of longing and desire spring up inside my chest as she walks away from me and enters the bathroom once again to finish getting ready for yet another night out with Xander.

That had been his name, the man in the bar that night. After he had come in, he and Tifa talked for a few hours. I stayed close by, not wanting to leave her alone with him. There was something about him that didn't sit right with me. The way he looked at her, the way he still looked at her even after eight months of dating, it was different from the way every other sleazebag that comes into the bar looks at her. His eyes, his expressions, everything about him gave off a single emotion…lust.

There had once been a time when I thought that every male patron of Seventh Heaven held the same impure and twisted desires for Tifa within his heart. But after talking with them and getting to know them as Tifa did, their thoughts were not as I had believed. While they had on occasion desired Tifa, a normal trait of most men who came to the bar, their hearts and minds usually remained true to the women that were already in their lives, a wife or girlfriend. But Xander, he looks at her with an unhealthy need, a hunger that cannot be sated.

I had always thought that I would be happy for her if she found someone else…happy that she was moving on, moving on from me and my burdens. But I was wrong, I can't be happy for her, not when I feel this way for her…not when she's with him. It would be easier if he treated her differently…treated her like the goddess she truly is. She at least deserves that much, to be loved unconditionally, so irrevocably for everything she does…for everything she is.

The faint sound of someone knocking at the front door, as well as Tifa's quiet complaining, interrupts my train of thought and brings me back to my harsh reality.

"He's early again." she says under her breath as she rolls her eyes, her tone one of annoyance. "Cloud, could you get the door?"

I push myself away from the frame of my bedroom door, from where I had been watching her. I make my way downstairs. I breathe in deeply, trying to subdue my hearts rampant beating. The longer I try to suppress my feelings for her, something always happens to make those feelings rise again, making me want so badly to tell her, to take her in my arms and confess everything to her. But I can't do that, I won't do that, not when she's with him…not when he makes her happy.

Once I enter the bar, I make my way to the front door and fling it open maliciously, almost hitting Xander. I glare down at him, the hate for me in his eyes mirroring the hate for him in my own.

"Are you going to let me in, or are we just going to stand here for the rest of the night?" he asks after almost a minute, trying to contain the anger in his voice.

I don't say anything; I simply turn around and walk back toward the staircase. I lean against the wall there, crossing my arms tightly over my chest, my fists and jaw clenched. A moment later he enters the bar and walks forward to stand by the counter. He leans against it slightly, and resting a hand on its smooth surface, he allows his eyes to wander lazily around the room. My eyes, however, don't leave him, and I can feel my anger toward him rising more and more with each passing second.

I know I shouldn't be this angry with him, other than taking her away from me; he's done nothing to me. He knows that, he knows that having to watch her with him hurts me, he knows that every time he kisses her, touches her…its like being ran through by Sephiroth's Masamune all over again, and Xander never misses a chance to twist the blade.

We stand in silence for several minutes, each lost in our own distractions. But finally he breaks the silence. He clears his throat and stands up straight, his eyes flashing with anger when he finds me already looking at him.

"Where is Tifa?" he asks loudly, his voice shaking slightly, but whether from fear or anger I cannot tell.

The anger he feels toward me may come from the fact that he's losing her to me. He knows that, even though Tifa loves him, there is still a part of her that continues to love me, and that love won't die until I'm out of her life. But he knows I'll never leave her again, knows that even if she does decide to marry him, if they start a life together, I'll always be there, waiting and watching. That's where his fear stems from, and it's the only thing we have in common, the fear of losing her.

"Answer me, Strife!" yells Xander, pounding his fist on the counter.

"She's upstairs getting ready." I answer coldly, motioning up the stairs with a nod of my head. "She'll be down in a minute."

I drop my gaze, concentrating on the patterns of the wood floor, memorizing the grain of the wood, the numerous knots and imperfections, and soon silence surrounds Xander and I again, a silence where the air is thick with tension, and every breath seems magnified.

"You know, Cloud." he says after a minute. "We could try to be friends…for Tifa's sake."

"I've got enough friends, Xander." I say coolly, looking up at him.

"That's too bad." he says, shrugging. "Especially if she gives me a positive answer tonight, it would be a shame if her best friend and fiancé…"

The world stopped before the last syllable fell, preventing me from hearing the rest of his sentence. I feel my arms drop down to my sides, and I clench my fists so tightly that my fingernails cut into my palms. My breathing quickens and my eyes widen as a deep ache begins to build inside my chest.

Tifa…married…to him? Just the thought of that is enough to make me feel like I've been punched in the stomach by Barret. No…this pain is much worse than that, its like everything I've ever endured thrown at me all at once, its pain piercing through me with one sharp thrust.

"That's right, Cloud. I intend on proposing to her tonight." he says evilly, flashing me a wicked and antagonizing smile. "I don't know why you're so angry, I always thought that you wanted to see Tifa happy. That's where you and I are not so different, I want to see her happy as well. Besides, you've had years to have her, to tell her how you feel. She's told me that she would not have said no to you, said that she had loved you deeply since you were kids, but that you were too consumed by the shadows of your past…by your guilt. She says that you're still trying to heal, but personally, I think you're incapable of loving her…"

I explode then, my anger peaks, and my vision blurs with rage. I run at him, my feet barely making contact with the floor. A moment later, my hand is clenched around his throat, and I push him back and slam him against the far wall of the bar.

"Let go of me you crazy son-of-a-bitch!" he wheezes as he tries to pry my hand away.

"Don't you ever say that I am incapable of loving her." I say calmly, despite my almost uncontainable fury. "I love her more deeply than you could even begin to comprehend, and if you ever hurt her I'll…"

"You'll what, Cloud? Kill me?" he gasps. "Killing me would hurt her, and we both know that you could never do that."

"I've hurt her before." I growl as I tighten my grasp. "I think I could do it again."

I release him as the sound of Tifa's descending footsteps on the stairs fills the bar. I turn away from Xander and my way toward the stairs once again, reaching them just as Tifa makes it to the bottom step. When I see her, my anger begins to fade away, only to be replaced by an overwhelming sense of calm…and regret.

She's stunning, her dress hugging her perfect form, her hair done up in the most intricate

of curls, and the lightest traces of make-up enhancing her already dazzling features. I have to wonder, does he even see her for what she really is, that she's not just another pretty face? Does he see that she's a kind, caring and simple person, an embodiment of love? While she is undoubtedly beautiful tonight, the women standing before me now is not the real Tifa. The real Tifa is the one I have the privilege of coming home to everyday, the one that greets me with a smile even after having just endured the hardest of days, that's the real Tifa, and the women I'm in love with.

When she descends the last step her eyes come to rest with mine. I smile lightly, trying to hide the last remnants of my waning anger.

"You look nice tonight." I say quietly.

"Thanks, Cloud." she replies, smiling widely.

Her eyes linger with mine a moment longer before she directs her gaze to Xander, and as she moves past me toward him, I'm blessed with the feeling of her fingers brushing lightly against the back of my hand. That small, accidental touch is enough to cause my heart to race, my thoughts to blur and my breath to catch in my throat. When she reaches him their eyes meet for no more than a second before he pulls her into an awkward one-armed hug and kisses her, and when they part, Xander looks down at her with a look of utmost hunger in his eyes.

"Are you ready to leave?" he asks her apprehensively, forcing a smile.

"Just a second…"

She pulls herself away from him and makes her way back to me, her hips swaying suggestively with every step. She stops in front of me, her body just an inch or two away from mine.

"Remember, Yuffie has the kids until eight, and since she picked them up from school its more than likely they'll have homework. Make sure they get it done." she says quickly, her eyes stern.

I can only nod, unable to form any coherent thoughts. I can only focus on her, and the slight warmth I can feel emanating from her.

"Thanks, Cloud. I won't be late, okay?"

Another nod, which is answered by one of her wonderful smiles. She places a light kiss on my cheek before returning to Xander, who shifts his weight uncomfortably and throws me a disgusted look before wrapping his arm around Tifa's waist and pulling her toward the front door.

As they exit the bar, I can feel my heart sink, my chest start to ache. She will say yes to his proposal tonight. I know that, and there is nothing that I can do to stop it. When tomorrow dawns, everything will have changed, leading the way to days filled with grief and uncertainty. There is, however, one thing that I am absolutely sure of: if there was the slightest chance for Tifa and I be together, I would take it, no matter the consequences. But I will not break up a perfectly happy couple because my own selfish wants and desires.

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_So, what did you think? Please leave a review and tell me, I spent a lot of time on it. Um...some of you who have already reviewed might have trouble reviewing again, considering I didn't delete the story and you're previous reviews and still logged. Maybe you could send me a PM and I can just post your review here at the end of the chapter? Well, thanks for reading, and be sure to watch for the updated versions of chapters 2 and 3, and the never-before-posted chapter 4._

_Thanks so much!_

_~CLOUDxTIFAforever_


	2. This Circle

"_Take this time to realize that you always force a smile in the midst of is always right, and I think that it's time. This battle must be won. But you pushed it aside. Push it aside, pretend that it's gone." - This Circle, from The Summer Tic EP_

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_**Chapter 2: This Circle**_

_A proposal? Already? They've only been dating six months…_

These are my thoughts as I sit down heavily on one of the many stools placed in front of the long counter, feeling an all too familiar wave of despair crash over me, the small feeling of hope hadn't lasted for more than a few minutes. I had thought that their relationship wouldn't last, that it would die off like any other fragile plant that tried to grow in the barren soil of this God-forsaken city…

Along with the despair, determination has also set in. I will not lose her completely. I will still be a part of her life, even if I will only and always be her best friend. I used to think that I could win her back…but now I see that it is impossible…how could I have let myself think that I even had a chance? It's such a stupid crusade…fighting for her when she's so in love with him…when he's so much better than me, when he's so much better for her. He can make her happy, he can give her everything she needs, everything she deserves…

"What would I even have to offer her?" I ask myself aloud, my voice rebounding off the walls of the empty room. "What do I have that he doesn't?"

"_Love." _echoes a strange and yet familiar voice inside my head. _"Love is what you have to give her…real love that has had years to blossom and grow…the kind of love that she deserves…"_

"Yeah…but is love enough?"

There's no answer this time, just the sound of my own shallow breathing, could love really be enough? It would have to be, because it's really is all I have to give her…I don't have money, a house, anything. I'm just a delivery boy…

The sound of the front door crashing open and of high pitched laughter drags me out of my reverie. I stand up quickly, forcing a smile as Denzel and Marlene rush into the bar. I've learned to do that, to smile for them even when everything seems so dark. But they take very little notice of me, and without so much as a 'hello', they rush upstairs, probably to watch a cartoon or two before finishing their homework. Yuffie enters the bar only moments after the kids, out of breath and looking slightly disheveled.

"I swear those kids can run faster than wild chocobos!" she exclaims, plopping down onto the stool next to me. "What's up, Spiky?"

"Nothing." I grunt, sitting down next to her.

"Where's Tifa? She said she needed to talk…"

"She's with him." I say quietly, nodding back toward the front door.

"Oh…well, if you don't mind I think I'll hang out here until she gets back, and in the meantime I could help Denzel and Marlene with the rest of their homework…you seem preoccupied anyway…"

I say nothing, so she pushes herself off of the stool and heads toward the staircase, her normally bouncy stride absent.

"Yuffie," I call after her. "Do you think she loves him?"

She stops mid-step and hangs her head, exhaling heavily.

"Yes, I do…but part of me stills wants to believe that she doesn't…that…that she's still in love with you." she says, turning to me, her eyes gleaming. "I always thought that…that you two would end up together…it would have been one of those fairytale endings, you know? The kind where everyone lives happily ever after? But now that she's with him I…I guess I was just dreaming again…thinking something like that could ever happen in real life…" her voice breaks then, and covering her face with her hands, she sits down on the stairs.

"He's proposing to her tonight, he told me when he came to pick her up…she's going to say yes, Yuffie."

Neither of us speaks for several minutes, allowing those last words to hang uncomfortably in the air around us, suffering under their weight.

"You can't let this happen, you have to stop her, Cloud." whispers Yuffie, wiping her tears away.

"It's not that easy, Yuffie." I say, shaking my head.

"Yes, it is." she says, her voice rising. "Why couldn't it be that easy? I mean, she can't just fall _out _of love with you…not when she was so _in _love with you for so long."

"Yuffie…"

"Shut up, Cloud." she practically yells as she stands up once again. "I've been thinking about this a long time, and I've got a lot to say." She's silent for a moment. She breathes in deeply, and exhaling loudly, she crosses her arms over her chest.

"I've seen the way you look at her…the way she still looks at you. Nothing has changed between you despite Xander, and it never will, even if she is with him." she says quickly, her words almost running together, her tone desperate. "Whenever you're around each other, you're always watching one another, a glance here, a quick look there. There's almost a gravitational pull between you, because it seems like you're never more than a few feet from each other. I know that you love her, and I know it's hurting you, keeping it inside like this. So why are you wasting your time, your life, pretending that you don't love her, pretending that you're happy for her?"

"Because I'd rather waste my life pretending, I'd rather her be with him, than lose her completely. I have to be around her, Yuffie. I can't lose her."

"Maybe you don't have to lose her." she persists. "Maybe, just maybe, she'd choose you over him, maybe she's waiting for you to say something, do something."

"Yuffie, you know as well as I do that she's not that kind of person, she'd never do something like that." I reply lowly, shaking my head.

"But Cloud…"

"This conversation is over, Yuffie. I've lost her, she's his…it's as simple as that."

I hang my head, and stare down at the counter, unable to look at Yuffie. Silence engulfs us once again, this one even more painful and tense than the previous ones.

"I can't believe you, Cloud." she says after a minute, her voice laden with disappointment. "After all the things you've been through, the things you've seen and the things you've done, after all the battles won and lost, all the times when you should have quit but kept moving forward…this fight, this battle should be no different. And yet you're sitting her, telling me that you're quitting, telling me that you're giving up. Cloud, don't you realize that fighting for her is an even greater cause than saving the entire Planet?" she's pleading now, her voice on the verge of breaking.

I continue to stare down at the countertop, my face contorted into a grimace, my shoulders burning from the stinging blow of her words, as if they had been lashes from a whip.

I look up at her slowly after a few moments, carefully composing my features into the stony expression I usually wear. I stare at Yuffie, suddenly seeing her in a different light, like she had aged before my very eyes. She's no longer the headstrong teenager I had traveled with two years ago. Instead standing before me is a women, an experienced and battle-hardened adult.

"I do love her, Yuffie, more than anything in this world." I say quietly, my voice even and measured. "But there is a time to fight, and a time to stand down…and wait for the enemy to make the first mistake."

"So…does that mean you're fighting? You're going to tell her that you love her?" she asks hurriedly, her voice teeming with excitement.

"Yes, it does, Yuffie. I promised myself months ago, after I was cured of my Geostigma, that I would live my new life with no regrets…and be free of guilt. I still feel guilty for leaving Tifa and the kids, and maybe that's a guilt I'll never feel relief from…but fighting for Tifa, and trying to keep my family together…maybe that will be a step toward my redemption."

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_So, how was it? I'm sorry about the more adult Yuffie, but I kinda like the idea. Please leave a review, I'd like to know what you think of the story so far._

_Thanks so much!_

_~CLOUDxTIFAforever_


	3. Let The Flames Begin

"_What a shame we all became such fragile, broken things. The memory remains just a tiny spark. I'd give it all my oxygen, to let the flames begin, so let the flames begin." - Let The Flames Begin, from RIOT!_

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_**Chapter 3: Let The Flames Begin**_

"Denzel, just write the answer down on your paper so you can go to bed."

"But I still don't understand, Cloud." protests Denzel, his voice rising. "Why do the polar _opposites_ attract, and not the ones with the same charge? Like negatives with negatives and positives with positives?" he asks, pointing to an example of a bar magnet in his science book with the point of his pencil.

"I'm not sure, Denzel." I reply, stifling a laugh. "It's been awhile since I learned this in school, I don't remember much about this stuff. You can ask your teacher about it in the morning, he can give you a better answer than I can."

"Maybe the negative charge is in love with the positive charge?" chimes in Marlene, lifting her head up from where she had been resting it on the table. She's been done with her work for almost an hour, and has been waiting patiently for Denzel to finish. "That would explain why they're attracted to each other."

"Yeah, maybe they are in love. They could even get married and have little baby protons and electrons." says Yuffie, smiling at me suggestively from across the table, her voice containing its usual bubbly tone, her mood a stark contrast to that of earlier.

"That would depend on if the proton still has feelings for the electron, and isn't in love with the neutron like she says she is." I counter, a thin layer of sarcasm coating my words.

"Wait, are we still talking about magnets? When did we start talking about the components of atoms?" asks Denzel, his expression one of mild confusion.

"They're not talking about atoms at all." says Marlene matter-of-factly. "They're talking about how Cloud is in love with Tifa, but Tifa is in love with Xander. But Cloud is going to get Tifa back, right Cloud?"

I turn to look over at Marlene, who is staring back at me expectantly. I watch her for several seconds, taken aback by her wisdom. I often forget that she is no ordinary seven year old, after all the things she's done, and after all the things she's seen, she has matured and grown up long before her time. She's so attuned to the world around her, seeing things that others can't, feeling things that everyone else has become numb to…

"Yes, Marlene. I'm going to _try_ and get Tifa back." I say quietly, placing a hand lightly on her shoulder.

"No, Cloud, you _have_ to get her back. I don't want Tifa to be with Xander, I don't like the way he looks at her, I like the way you look at her."

"You and me both, Marlene." laughs Yuffie.

"Marlene, I'll do the best I can." I say quietly, trying to sound as reassuring as possible. "But even if she does decide to stay with him, we're going to support her in that decision, right?"

"But…" she tries to protest.

"Right?" I ask again sharply, cutting off her plea.

"Right…"

"Good girl. Now you and Denzel go and get ready for bed, I'll be in soon to tuck you in."

Both of them stand up without a word and walk silently down the hall and into their room, closing the door silently behind them.

"Even they want you and Tifa to be together." says Yuffie after a moment, laughing lightly.

"Yeah…but they can't possibly understand what's going on…can they?" I ask, staring down the now empty hallway.

"You forget who you're talking about, Cloud. Of course they understand…well, maybe in a more innocent way at least. They know that the four of you are a family as a whole. They've realized that if Tifa does marry Xander, everything thing will change, you'll have to leave. They're both losing yet another family…you're fighting for more than just your own happiness now."

Silence falls between us. I had never thought about it that way. I'm losing more than the women I love, and the kids are losing more than just a father figure, we're all losing the family we've all fought so hard for. I would have to leave, move out of Seventh Heaven and out of their lives, breaking yet another promise…I can't do that again, I've hurt them enough.

"I hope I'm not to late, Yuffie…" I whisper, trying to keep the tone of defeat out of my voice.

"You're not going to be too late, Cloud." she replies, placing her hand gently on my forearm. "The kind of love she felt for you, its depth, it doesn't just fade away, the memory will continue to live on, you just have to help her remember what its like to love you."

"_So that's what it comes down to then?"_ I ask myself inwardly._ "A memory…?"_

_

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_

How was it? I was kinda trying to go for some comedy here, to lighten the mood before things get nasty, and I hope you enjoyed it and understood it. I know it seems a little random and misplaced, maybe even unessessary, but I like. Please leave a review and tell me what you think.

_Thanks so much!_

_~CLOUDxTIFAforever_


	4. Careful

_CLOUDxTIFAforever is back, yo! Anyway, it's been almost six months since I updated this story, and five since I've posted anything, its been far too long my friends, I've missed you all and I'm very sorry I've kept you waiting this long. Can you forgive me?_

_**Author's Note/Warning:** The reason it took me so long to update this story with a new chapter is because I went back and re-wrote the whole story, so please be sure to read over the first three chapters again and leave a review if you like. Another reason why this chapter has been late is because I've been trying my hand at writing song lyrics/poems. If you're interested in them I've created a Facebook page titled "CLOUDxTIFAforever: Stories and Songs Fanpage". Add it so you can read my lyrics and be updated about the progress of my stories._

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"_I settled down, a twisted up frown disguised as a smile. Well, you would have never known. I had it all but not what I wanted because hope for me was a place uncharted and overgrown."  
__- Careful, from Brand New Eyes_

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_**Chapter 4: Careful**_

Yuffie left with the kids soon after they had finished their homework, taking them to stay with her for a few days in Kalm. She had been staying there ever since the people of Wutai blamed her for the outbreak of Geostigma that began to plague their country soon after Yuffie's return there almost two years ago. The kids had been all too willing to go with her, and Yuffie seemed to think that Tifa and I would need some 'alone" time for the next few days.

In their absence, an eerie stillness descends over the bar, like the calm after a storm. Its strange silence weighting the air and making it difficult to breathe. I used to think that nothing compared to quiet evenings alone, evenings when I was free to pursue any train of thought I pleased with little to no distraction…but tonight is different.

Tonight I want anything but the silence, I want anything but to be alone. I realize that I wouldn't have to endure the silence, to face the loneliness if I had kept her close, if I had let her in and told her everything from the start…if I hadn't pushed her away, she'd be with me instead of him. I wouldn't have to endure the excruciating pain of having to see her with him…to watch him touch her, hold her…kiss her.

I sit down on one of the numerous stools that line the counter, glancing up every few seconds at the small clock hanging on the wall, waiting and watching in near agony as the minutes slowly tick by.

The door creaks open a half hour later, and the small sound of quieted voices travels though the bar, the whispered and almost silent words of 'I love you' reach me, hovering through the air along with other snatches of their almost unheard conversation.

A few minutes later the door closes, and I hear Tifa's quiet footsteps approaching. I don't look up as she walks behind the counter and begins pouring herself a drink. Despite her profession, Tifa rarely ever drinks…something must be bothering her.

"Do you want a drink, Cloud?" she asks, taking a sip of her own.

"Sure." I grunt, clearing my throat.

When she finishes pouring the drink she slides it to me and I catch it in my hand. I raise it to my lips immediately, downing half the glass in one gulp, and barely tasting it. Tifa sips hers slowly, holding it in her mouth for a few seconds, tasting every one of the ingredients before finally swallowing.

"He asked me to marry him, Cloud." she says abruptly. "And…I said 'yes'."

Uncontrollable rage exploded through my veins at her final word, and I tightened my grip around my glass, trying to calm down. I shouldn't be angry, I knew this was coming…I'd been preparing myself for it all night…

Suddenly, there's a sound of shattering glass and a sharp pain travels throughout my right hand. I look down at my hand, and grimace once I realize what had caused the pain.

I had crushed the beer mug, and now several shattered fragments of glass were now embedded into my palm and fingers. Blood begins to drip slowly from the wounds and onto the countertop, but I ignore it and simply look over at Tifa, who is staring at me with a look of utmost horror on her face.

"That's great, Tifa," I lie through my clenched teeth. "I'm really happy for you…" _Why was I lying?_

I stand up quickly, holding my injured hand close to me chest, and make my way toward the stairs. But before I can place my foot on the first step I feel Tifa's hand wrap tightly around my upper right arm, rooting me to the spot. Before I can stop her she takes my hand carefully in hers and begins to examine it gingerly.

"Cloud, let me take care of this…"

"It's nothing I can't handle." I say coldly, pulling my hand away, and immediately wishing that I hadn't.

I ascend the stairs quickly, and once at the top I head straight for the bathroom and open the cabinet that is situated above the sink, where Tifa keeps most of our medical supplies. Once I have everything I need, I sit down on the edge of the bathtub and begin to carefully pull the shards of broken glass out of my hand.

"You're never going to get all of the glass out of your hand like that, Cloud."

I look up and see Tifa standing in the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest. Before I can respond she makes her way into the small bathroom, and, grabbing a pair of tweezers off of the countertop, she sits down next to me. She takes my hand in hers once again and begins to carefully remove the glass. She remains quiet while she works, and once the wounds are clean, she starts wrapping my hand in thick bandages, making sure to cover every cut.

"I thought you were going to be happy for me." she says quietly after a few minutes.

"I am…"

"Don't lie to me, Cloud." she says harshly, cutting me off.

"Fine." I sigh, defeated. "I don't want you to marry him, Tifa."

"Why?" she demands, wrapping my hand one last time before securing the bandage with a small piece of tape.

"Because he doesn't love you…at least, not the way you deserved to be loved."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Cloud." she says, standing up and walking toward the door.

"I've seen the way he looks at you." I call after her. She pauses mid-stride, and hangs her head slightly, listening. I get up slowly, and take a few steps forward, stopping just behind her.

"I've seen the way he holds you, touches you." I say quietly, my voice a whisper. "Tifa, there's something not right about it…"

"Then what would be the right way, Cloud?" she asks, turning to me.

Quickly, I place my uninjured hand on her waist, pulling her against me. I use my free hand to brush away a few stray strands of her hair before placing it gently on her cheek. Her body seems to melt against mine, and soon our faces are only centimeters apart.

Almost without thinking, I press my lips to hers and for a single and miraculous moment, she seems to surrender, but she then pulls away, glaring at me, her face distorted into a look of utmost disgust.

"How dare you?" she asks shrilly. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Finally showing you how I feel…Tifa, I love you."

She stares at me for several seconds, allowing those last few words to hang in the air between us, and suffocate us with their weight. Then suddenly, and without warning, she pushes herself away from me and punches me hard in the face. There's enough power behind the blow to split the skin above my eyebrow, and I can feel blood begin flow down my face almost immediately. Despite the force of the punch, I don't recoil, instead I let the pain sink in, knowing that it was well-deserved.

"Tifa, I sorry…"

"Why are you doing this to me?" she screams furiously, tears forming in her eyes.

"I can't let you marry him without you knowing…"

"Why? So I didn't make a mistake?" she asks, her tone sounding almost hysterical.

"Yes." I answer calmly.

"Well…you're too late. Xander is in love with me…and I'm in love with him." she adds hesitantly.

"I doubt that. He only wants one thing from you, Tifa. And it's either something you don't want to give him, or your just not ready to."

After several moments of silence she simply turns away from me and walks slowly to the door. She stops before exiting, her shoulders shaking slightly.

"You're wrong about us, Cloud…you're wrong about him." she says quietly, her words barely audible but containing subtle notes of anger. "I'm going to Xander's for awhile…I want you gone when I get back."

With that she walks out the door, leaving me alone with only the sound of her retreating footsteps. I can't move, I can only stand and stare at the empty doorway, allowing the sting of her words to sink in and become a deep-seeded pain.

Suddenly, my feet are moving. I practically fly down the stairs, out the front door and onto the sidewalk. She hasn't gone far, and I bolt down the street after her, and once I reach her I fall into stride next to her.

"You don't mean that." I say quietly, my breathing slightly labored from running.

"Yes, I do." she replies, stopping suddenly. "I don't need you anymore, Cloud. I want you out, out of my house, my family and my life."

She shoves her way past me and walks on, clenched fists swinging at her sides. The minute the words had fallen from her mouth I had made my decision; I'm not leaving. I'll be here when she gets back, ready to try again. I've come to far to turn back, and now…now it's all or nothing.

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_So, what do you think? Is the story good enough so far to deserve a 6 month long hiatus? I hope so, because I've spent a lot of time trying to make it perfect. Please leave a review and tell me what you think of it, I'm really interested in your opinion._

_The 'all or nothing' ending mentallity reminds me alot of another song. It's titled (appropriately) All Or Nothing by Cher. This chapter is not based off this song, but the lyrics are perfect for what's going on in the chapter. Just thought I'd let you know._

_Don't forget to add the fan page on Facebook!_

_Your's Forever,_

_CLOUDxTIFAforever_


	5. Decoy

_Well, here it is, Chapter 5 of Misery Business, titled Decoy. This is one of my more favorite songs by Paramore, don't ask me what I favorite is because I probably couldn't tell you._

_**Author's Note:** I'm not very happy with this chapter, it didn't really play out the way I wanted it to, none of the dialogue feels right and the chapter seems a bit rushed. But I'm sure you'll like it anyway, I'll probably have to do a revision on it in the near future but for right now I think this will do the trick. I've read it through at least 5 times and it seems to be alright, I just wish it would have played out a little better._

_**Warning:** This chapter does contain mild course language.__

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"Close your eyes and make believe, this is where you want to be. Forgetting all the memories, try to forget love 'cause love's forgotten me. Well hey, hey baby it's never too late, pretty soon you won't remember a thing. And I'll be distant, the star's reminiscing, your hearts been wasted on me." - Decoy, from RIOT!

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_**Chapter 5: Decoy**_

"Damn him." I swear under my breath as I walk along the deserted streets.

I had thought that, of all people, Cloud would have been happy for me…instead he lied to my face…pretended…crushed a glass while trying to hide his anger.

Had I thought that he would be happy for me, happy that I was moving on and no longer waiting for him? If I had I was only fooling myself…why else would he have said those things…kissed me?

Before tonight, I had never doubted Xander's love for me, but after what Cloud had said, about the way Xander is with me, about the way he holds me, touches me…it had forced me to look back at the last few months, and by doing so, I've come to realize that Xander has always been so rough, and almost expecting of my affection…but Cloud…

"_No"_ I say to myself inwardly. _"I don't want to think about him."_ I shake my head slightly, as if I'm trying to jar him from my thoughts.

But still…the way he held me, kissed me…I've never felt anything so right, or so wonderful in my entire life. From the moment Cloud touched me, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think straight…every sense and every thought had been attuned to him. In that one, blessed moment when our lips met, he became life, and nothing else had existed with me.

I had never felt that way with Xander. Yes, it was nice to get some deeper form of affection from him, but despite the comfortable lifestyle that he and his money could give me, there is really nothing else that he would have to offer me. I do love Xander, but still my heart is torn…I've always loved Cloud, I still do…and I know that I always will. I've never even been able to successfully picture spending the rest of my life with Xander…probably because every time I've tried, I've always ended up seeing Cloud in his place.

My anger flares, not because of Cloud, and not because of Xander…I'm angry at myself. I shouldn't be doing this to myself, I shouldn't have let things get this far out of hand…I shouldn't have to be thinking about this right now.

The silent battle continues to rage on inside me and I'm so consumed by it that I barely notice when I arrive outside of Xander's building. He lives near the center of Edge, just outside the small town square where the Meteor Monument was once located, and in one of the nicer, Shinra owned buildings. The walk from the sidewalk to the front door of the building seems to take an lifetime, and an eternity is spent before I reach the door of his top floor apartment, my mind still dwelling on what should be an easy enough decision, but one that I shouldn't have to be making…who do I choose?

The door opens before I even have the chance to knock. Xander stands motionless in the open doorway, bare-chested, his long hair hanging loosely on his shoulders, and his surprised expression swiftly changing from one of surprise to worry.

"Tifa, what's wrong? What are you doing here?" he asks hurriedly, pulling me into his apartment.

Once inside, he leads me into the living room and sits me down on the couch. He takes a seat next to me and snakes his arm around my waist, pulling me against him. I just sit there for several minutes, just letting him hold me, hoping to feel something…trying to feel anything…but nothing comes. No sense of security, no breathlessness…not even the tiniest tingle of attraction. Nothing like the emotions I felt earlier with Cloud…had I really fooled myself into thinking that I was in love with Xander?

"So…why are you here?" asks Xander bluntly, shifting his weight impatiently, running his fingers slowly through my hair.

"I'm not really sure yet…" I say quietly, tensing my body against his tough.

"Well, you must have had a reason. It's almost one in the morning, babe." he presses, leaning in to kiss my neck.

Suddenly, the feeling of his skin against mine sends an unfamiliar and uncomfortable chill throughout my body. I stand up quickly and begin to pace the floor in front of the couch. Xander watches me closely, who by now seems to be thoroughly confused.

In the last few, yet seemingly long-lasting minutes, I've made my decision…I'm going back home to Cloud. If I haven't felt any deeper feelings of attraction for Xander than those I felt on the first day I met him, then there is absolutely no possible way that I could marry him…I've gone on long enough living this lie.

"Xander…there's no easy way to say what I'm about to tell you, so I'm just going to say it…" I draw in a deep, cleansing breath and release it slowly, trying to brace myself for his reaction.

"I can't marry you." I practically blurt out the words, but I welcome the odd feeling of relief that comes with them.

"Why not?" he demands as he jumps to his feet, anger invading his even tone.

"I just don't…feel anything for you anymore…actually, I'm not sure if I ever really did."

"It's him isn't it?" he asks after several minutes, his voice quiet, but his words are full of seething rage. "You're in love with him, aren't you?"

"Yes…" I whisper, trying to hold back tears.

"So even after everything I've done for you, after all the time we've spent together…and you still fell in love with him?" he yelling now.

"I've told you before that I loved him…"

"But you also told me that you were over him…that he was nothing more than a friend to you now!"

"When I told you that, I had fooled myself into believing that it was true…but I guess I was wrong. I lied to you Xander, and to myself…to everyone. I was wrong to think that I could ever stop loving him…"

My words are cut off by a stinging blow from the back of his hand. Once the initial shock of the strike fades away, I lift my eyes to meet his.

"Get out." he says quietly through clenched teeth, and pointing at the door. "Go back to your bastard delivery boy. And just know that after tonight, I will not think about you again…after tonight, you are dead to me."

After a single moment of weighted silence, I force my feet to move toward the door, but when I reach the door, Xander lays a hand roughly on my shoulder.

"I could have given you everything you've ever wanted."

"Not everything, Xander." I reply, my voice harsh. With that, I walk out. As soon as I'm outside I break into a fast and almost unsteady run.

"_Not everything…"_

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So, how was it? Like I said above it lacks in certain areas, so I think I'll go back and revise it once I finish the story, I want every chapter to be perfect in its own way. Anyway, please leave a review, the last chapter only got 5...yet for 3 days after it was posted it was averaging 300+ views a day. Please review, and remember you don't have to be a member to review.

_Tons of thanks and love,_

_CLOUDxTIFAforever_


	6. Miracle

_Welcome to chapter 6 of Misery Business! This story is now 10,000+ words long, how exciting is that?_

_****__Author's Note:_ There really isn't anything special to point out in this chapter, so I guess all I really have to say here is enjoy!

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"_I've gone for too long living like I'm not alive, so I'm going to start over tonight, beginning with you and I. When this memory fades I'm going to make sure its replaced with chances taken, hope embraced." - Miracle, from RIOT! _

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**_Chapter 6: Miracle_**

_One o'clock…damn it._

I had told myself that if she wasn't back by now she would have made her decision. Had I really thought that she would choose me, the poor delivery boy who discovered love too late? In all honesty, I had believed it. How could I not after the way she allowed herself to melt against me when I held her in my arms…the way she surrendered to the kiss?

I shake my head slightly, once again lifting my eyes to stare at the clock. My eyes are burning for sleep, my mind begs for rest, but I can't seem to leave my seat on the uncomfortable barstool, part of me still wanting to keep vigil, unwilling to give up on her just yet.

The sudden sound of the front door crashing open causes me to jump violently from my seat. I spin around to face the door, just in time to see Tifa burst through and run past me up the stairs. I take off after her, thanking God with every thundering step that Yuffie decided to take the kids with her tonight.

When I reach her room I find the door wide open and Tifa sitting calmly at the foot of her bed, shaking slightly. I pause for a moment in the doorway before walking forward and sitting down next to her, knowing that if she wanted to be alone she would have shut the door…not that it would have made much of a difference anyway.

"You stayed." says Tifa finally after several minutes of awkward silence. "Even after what I said…"

"I promised myself a long time ago that I was never leaving you again. I figured tonight was as good as any to keep that promise." I reply, smiling lightly. "But…if you still want me to leave, I'll go after the wedding, I won't…"

"The wedding's off, Cloud." she breaks in quietly, looking over at me. "I'm not going to marry Xander."

Despite the obvious pain in her voice, a sense of weightlessness and overwhelming joy descends over me…only to quickly be replaced by anger as Tifa's eyes lock with mine. She must have realized what I was staring at, because she hastily takes her gaze from mine, dropping her hair purposefully over her right eye, trying to hide the blossoming bruise. Her shoulders begin to shake, and I can hear a small sob escape her.

A painful realization hits me; she may have chosen me, and I've gained everything because of her decision…but she has lost so much. I reach out my hand, and place my index finger under chin, lifting her face so that her eyes can meet mine once again.

"Did he do this to you?" I ask her, even though I know the question is rhetorical.

"Yes…" she answers weakly.

Rage instantly fills me, my heart begins to race, my breathing quickens. I have never felt this much hate for anyone, not even for Sephiroth…but not unlike Sephiroth, Xander will pay for his actions. I stand up quickly, spinning toward the door and my hand slipping into my pocket to grab the keys to the Fenrir, all in one fluid motion. I'm not sure what I'm going to do to Xander yet, but hacking him up into tiny pieces with my sword is sounding very good at the moment…maybe I should hit him with the Fenrir first?

"Cloud, please don't go." Tifa quietly calls after me. "Please don't go and do something stupid."

"He hurt you." I say through clenched teeth, stopping just before the door to turn to her.

"I know, but I don't want you to get revenge for me, Cloud." she says sternly, gently wiping her eyes of any remaining tears.

"Then what do you want me to do, Tifa?" I ask, sighing slightly.

"Could…could you just stay with me…hold me? Please?"

I stare at her for a moment, a small smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. I draw in a deep breath and release it slowly, allowing my anger to flow out with the air. I cross the distance back to the bed slowly, measuring each step. I sit down next to her carefully, lifting my arm so that she can lean comfortably against my shoulder. But instead she lays her legs across mine and leans against my chest, her head coming to rest just under my chin. I wrap my arms around her tightly, holding her as close to me as possible.

We sit like this for several minutes, the only sounds are our breathing and the occasional soft sob from Tifa. I revel in every second, the smell of her hair, the feeling of her heart beating against my chest…it's perfect. I've imagined being with her like this before, simply holding her with no words spoken between us, just enjoying the others company, and now that I have this moment, I look forward to the many more we'll have in the years to come.

"Thank-you, Cloud…thank-you for saving me." says Tifa, looking up at me, a weak smile flashing across her face.

"I…I don't understand." I stammer.

"If you hadn't have told me that you love me…hadn't helped me realize the mistake I was making…if I would have married him, who knows how many more time he would have hit me…or done something worse?"

"I…I'm sorry it ended this way, Tifa. I didn't mean for you to get hurt. I had just gone on long enough just…existing. I felt like I wasn't really living, watching you with Xander…it was torture. But I wanted you to be happy, whether it was with me or with him. You needed someone who could love you, and for awhile that wasn't me…"

The sudden, gentle caress of Tifa's finger brushing against my lips brings the rest of my sentence to a crushing halt.

"You don't have to apologize or explain, Cloud." she whispers softly. "I'm here with you now, and I plan to stay here with you forever. Xander is nothing more than a painful memory now. Tonight is a fresh start for me…and for you…for us."

"I…I'd like to kiss you now, if you don't mind?" I say lowly, my face inching closer to hers.

"I'd like that very much…"

Whatever space had been left between us, whatever barriers had still existed between us having the best friendship to the best romance, fell away as her lips met mine in the softest and yet the most seductive of ways. Never had I experienced something as stimulating, so exciting as her kiss. It seems to intensify every sense. Her scent is so intoxicating, her taste so sweet, the sound of the low and pleasure-filled moans escaping her so encouraging, and the sight of her bare skin as I slowly remove her clothing so entrancing…

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_Uh-oh, cliffhanger lemonz! I'm really sorry about that, but I didn't really want to go to graphic with this story, plus I'm not very good at writing "lemon" scenes anyway. So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I'm sorry it wasn't very long. Please leave a review!_

_~CLOUDxTIFAforever_


	7. My Heart

_Hey everyone, I'm so sorry it took me so long to update. I don't want to make excuses but here they are anyway._

1.) I got a job, practically full time.  
2.) I've been getting ready for college, registering for classes, taking care of financial aide...etc.  
3.) I was having a hard time writing this chapter, there's so much dialogue.  
4.) I couldn't decide on a title.

_Hopefully one of those is good enough...but they're all pretty lame._

_**Author's Notes:**__ A lot and yet nothing really happens in this chapter. It does get a bit lemon-y because I felt bad about ending the last chapter as a cliffhanger, it's not very long but at least it's something. I hope you enjoy. _

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"_This heart, it beats, beats for only you. My heart is your's."  
__- My Heart, From All We Know Is Falling_

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**_Chapter 7: My Heart_**

Awareness slowly creeps over me the next morning, uninvited and unwelcome. I fight against it, perfectly content to stay asleep, watching as images from the previous night flit drowsily and blissfully around inside my semi-conscious mind.

I soon realize that I am fighting a losing battle, and I open my eyes reluctantly, blinking them several times against the lingering affects of sleep. The first thing I see when my vision clears is Cloud, lying on his back and still sleeping peacefully beside me.

I can't stop staring at him, he's just so…beautiful…glorious…perfect? None of those words seem to describe him best, and I'm sure that I could never find one that would. I inch closer to him and prop myself up on my elbow. My gaze sweeps over his sleeping form, falling on each toned muscle…each scar.

They seem endless; I never knew he had this many. They litter his torso and arms, each a different size and shape, starkly standing out against his fair skin, and each with its own story to tell. They only make him more perfect…

Holding back my hair, I lean over his chest carefully and brush my lips over the nearest blemish, causing Cloud to stir slightly. I move to the next one, kissing it as well, this time holding my lips against his skin just a moment longer than the last. I repeat the process several times, slowly making my way up his chest, to his neck…and finally his lips.

He must have woken up, because the second my lips touch his he pulls me against him, kissing me gently at first, his hands moving all over my exposed skin. After a few minutes I pull away to kneel over him, straddling his midriff. I lean down and kiss him, running my fingers through his hair, and gently whispering 'I love you' with every breath I manage to steal.

He runs his hands along my back, my legs…my chest. He doesn't open his eyes, he simply relies on touch, tracing invisible lines all over my body, coaxing from me pleasured moans and sighs, sounds I never knew I could make…

The passion flares, every touch and every kiss becoming its own release. Everything begins to melt away, allowing my mind and body to become totally attuned to Cloud. He becomes the world, the universe, even life itself. His taste, his smell, the sound of his ragged breathing, and the feeling of his skin against mine are the only things that matter.

It's amazing how two people who couldn't be any more parallel, any more different, who coexisted side by side for so long but never connected, could have beaten the odds and found a way to overlap and make one complete being, a perfect balance of fire and ice, light and darkness…

I surrender to him, allowing him to have dominance. He positions himself over me, his lips brushing against mine in the softest of ways as he slowly enters me, letting my body adjust to his intrusion. But I ignore the pain, only allowing myself to revel in the delight of being with him this way. Just the two of us alone, joined together with no boundaries, no walls to separate us.

He begins to move slowly, each gentle thrust accompanied by a soft caress or a tender kiss, both of us patiently climbing to the plateau, the sensual peak of our shared and sinful pleasure. Soon, our bodies shake with every movement, every breath. Both of us teetering on the edge of climax, but not yet ready to take the plunge, not yet ready to surrender the intense pleasure of the moment; we're both completely lost in each other…completely lost in love that we've waited so long to share.

We spend the remainder of the morning like this, taking each encounter in stride, every moment spent together a whirl of fiery passion. Each kiss and every touch containing its own unique and searing flame. When we finally stop, we lie there quietly in my bed, wrapped in each other arms, breathing heavily and exhausted.

"You look terrible." I say, laughing lightly as I run my fingers over the now swollen and bruised area around his right eye.

"So do you." he chuckles, tracing his fingers along what is no doubt the raised outline of Xander's hand on my cheek.

I place my hand over his, holding it against my cheek. His touch is almost like a balm, it sooths away the remnant sting of blow, and eases the pain of its memory.

"I love you, too, you know?" I say quietly. "I didn't get the chance earlier…to tell you."

"You showed me." he whispers, gently kissing my forehead. "That was enough."

"Still, to say it…it feels wonderful…relieving. I love you." I say again, smiling as I feel a rush of emotion flow out with the words, words I had waited so long to say to him…words I had forgotten when I had met Xander.

"Why did you choose me?" asks Cloud bluntly, his eyes searching mine.

"I didn't." I reply, "In the end it wasn't a choice…it was an ultimatum of the heart."

"I don't think I understand…" he says quietly.

"After you said you loved me…I was confused, torn. I knew I should choose Xander, it would have been the right thing to do…the rational thing to do. And on the way to his house, I was sure of what I was going to do. I was going to marry him, despite what you had said, and we'd spend the rest of our lives together, happy and blissfully in love."

"So what happened? What made you change your mind?" he asks, trying to hide the desperation in his voice.

"I started thinking about the future, trying to picture what should have been this perfect life…and I couldn't. I saw everything I expected to see, a beautiful house, a sprawling lawn, kids…I didn't see him there though, standing next to me or reflected in the children's faces…I saw you. That's when the decision was made for me…I had no control, my heart had taken over, and it wanted you."

"So, you're happy with your decision? No regrets?" he asks, his tone serious.

"No…why would I have regrets?"

"He can give you everything…anything you've ever wanted and everything you deserve…I can't, not yet anyway. I may have won your heart but…"

"And I have won your's…finally after all these years. Listen to me, Cloud," I demand, catching his eyes again. "If I could hear you say 'I love you' everyday for the rest of my life, that would be enough. I don't need money, I don't need nice things, I need you."

He doesn't say anything, simply staring at me and remaining silent.

"You believe me, don't you?" I ask quietly after several minutes.

"Of course I do." he says, pulling me closer to him. "I was just…making sure."

"Making sure of what, Cloud? That I didn't want to leave you?"

"Yes, because if you did want to go back to him…I would have let you go. I love you enough to do that…as long as you were happy, I'd be happy."

"Then why say anything at all?" I ask, my tone sharp. "Why try to break Xander and I up if you were willing to let me go back to him without a fight?"

"Because I wanted my chance to fight for you," he replies calmly. "To win your heart."

"Cloud, I'm only going to tell you this once, so listen carefully." I say, taking his hand in mine and placing his palm against my chest. The feeling of his skin against mine is almost electric, making my heart race. "This heart, my heart, beats for only you. It wants only you, it needs only you, no one and nothing else. Do you understand? Can we end this conversation here, put every fear and doubt behind us?"

"Yes…" he whispers.

"Good." I say, kiss him gently. "And Cloud, you never had to win my heart, you just had to ask for it."

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_I think everything turned out alright, I think the chapter feels a bit rushed though. I already have Chapter 8 mostly planned out, I just have to start writing it. P__lease leave some reviews and don't forget to "Like" the Facebook page I made, I want to keep everyone updated!_

_Until the next chapter,_

_~CLOUDxTIFAforever_


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